Swinging and locking device, particularly for vapour escape hoods at kitchen ranges

ABSTRACT

A pivoting device suitable for pivotably mounting a pivotable vapor hood to a fixed housing above a cooking range, in a manner permitting the pivotable hood to be manually adjusted angularly to any desired forward and backward position, while permitting easy removal and replacement of the pivotable hood for cleaning purposes. A pair of such pivoting devices are preferably fixed to opposite interior surfaces of the fixed housing, and each device is provided with an inwardly-extending sleeve for insertion into corresponding holes in opposite flexible end areas of the pivotable hood, to support the hood for rotation. An arrangement of locking tabs on the pivotable hood detachably engages locking means on a pair of flexible follower arms extending from the pivoting devices. Each pivoting device contains a coil spring acting on its corresponding follower arm to urge the pivotable hood upward and backward, and each pivoting device is provided with a screwadjustable friction disk tending, with the aid of the action of said spring, to clamp each follower arm in the angular position to which it is manually moved while permitting its easy motion between such desired positions. This invention relates to a swinging and locking device of the kind suitable for use in providing an over-range vapour hood which is forwardly and backwardly pivotable. The aforesaid vapour escape hoods are adapted for movement between two end positions, viz. one position in which the hood is swung inwards and the space above the cooking plate is accessible at maximum, and a second position in which the hood is swung outwards and said space is enclosed in the upper section by the hood for collecting vapour from cooking and frying. In addition to its movability, the hood is desired to be detachable for cleaning it throughout from time to time. In the conventional swinging and locking devices it is necessary for this purpose to unscrew screw connections and to loosen other details. This renders it so tedious and complicated to attach and remove the hood, that housewives in general do not carry out these operations. Heretofore, the kind of movement of the hood permitted in relation to the stationary structure, has also not been satisfactory. It is the primary object of this invention to overcome the aforesaid disadvantages and to bring about in general a further development and improvement of the state of art concerned. This object is achieved by the device according to the invention. Any housewife should be able to remove and attach the hood using the swinging and locking device of the invention without any difficulty. Even when the hood is detached and removed frequently, the parts will not loosen and give rise to rattling noises and the like. The construction according to the invention, furthermore, requires substantially no maintenance.

United States Patent [1 1 Svensson Apr. 1, 1975 i 1 SWINGING AND LOCKINGDEVICE,

PARTICULARLY FOR VAPOUR ESCAPE {73] Assignee: Aktiebolaget SvenskaFlaktfabriken,

Nacka, Sweden 221 Filed: Apr. 9, I973 211 Appl. No.:349.250

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. l2, i974 Germany 72l36l4[52] U.S. Cl. 403/92, 98/l 15 MV. 403/103. 403/1 l 1, 403/329 I51] Int.Cl B08b 15/02 {58] Field of Search 403/52, 66, 7!, 83, 92,

403/93, 103, ill, 326, 329', 98/ll5 R, US K, 115 LH, ll5 MV PrimaryExaminer-Werner H. Schroeder Attorney, Agent, or FirmHowson and Howson[57] ABSTRACT A pivoting device suitable for pivotably mounting apivotable vapor hood to a fixed housing above a cooking range, in amanner permitting the pivotable hood to be manually adjusted angularlyto any desired for ward and backward position, while permitting easyremoval and replacement of the pivotable hood for cleaning purposes. Apair of such pivoting devices are preferably fixed to opposite interiorsurfaces of the fixed housing, and each device is provided with aninwardly-extending sleeve for insertion into corresponding holes inopposite flexible end areas of the pivotable hood, to support the hoodfor rotation. An ar rangement of locking tabs on the pivotable hooddetachably engages locking means on a pair of flexible follower armsextending from the pivoting devices. Each pivoting device contains acoil spring acting on its corresponding follower arm to urge thepivotable hood upward and backward, and each pivoting device is providedwith a screw-adjustable friction disk tending, with the aid of theaction of said spring, to clamp each follower arm in the angularposition to which it is manually moved while permitting its easy motionbetween such desired positions.

ll Claims, 7 Drawing Figures FMEHTED APR 1 IEYS Fig.4

Fig.7

Fig.6

Fig.5

SWINGING AND LOCKING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR VAPOUR ESCAPE HOODS ATKITCHEN RANGES This invention relates to a swinging and locking deviceof the kind suitable for use in providing an overrange vapour hood whichis forwardly and backwardly pivotable. The aforesaid vapour escape hoodsare adapted for movement between two end positions, viz. one position inwhich the hood is swung inwards and the space above the cooking plate isaccessible at maximum, and a second position in which the hood is swungoutwards and said space is enclosed in the upper section by the hood forcollecting vapour from cooking and frying. In addition to itsmovability, the hood is desired to be detachable for cleaning itthroughout from time to time. In the conventional swinging and lockingdevices it is necessary for this purpose to unscrew screw connectionsand to loosen other details. This renders it so tedious and complicatedto attach and remove the hood, that housewives in general do not carryout these operations. Heretofore, the kind of movement of the hoodpermitted in relation to the stationary structure, has also not beensatisfactory.

It is the primary object of this invention to overcome the aforesaiddisadvantages and to bring about in general a further development andimprovement of the state of art concerned. This object is achieved bythe device according to the invention. Any housewife should be able toremove and attach the hood using the swinging and locking device of theinvention without any difficulty. Even when the hood is detached andremoved frequently, the parts will not loosen and give rise to rattlingnoises and the like. The construction according to the invention,furthermore, requires substantially no maintenance.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become evidentfrom the following description, in which reference is made to theaccompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 shows by a diametrical section onan enlarged scale a swinging and locking device according to theinvention in mounted state,

FIG. 2 shows a follower arm of the device and a hood locking projection,seen from the left in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows the housing of the device, seen from the right in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view according to the section lV-IV in FIG. 3,4

FIG. 5 shows a housing end cover, seen from the left in FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 shows a section through the symmetry plane of said cover and FIG.7 shows the same cover, seen from the right in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the lower forward corner portionof a vapour escape arrangement not shown in detail. The lateral profileof this corner portion corresponds to the outline of a recess 17 visiblein FIG. 3.

At said corner portion is fastened the housing 2 of the swinging andlocking device according to the invention, for example by means of ascrew (not shown) inserted through a bore 14 in a housing shoulder. Thehousing advantageously has the shape ofa flat cylinder and may bemanufactured of an anodized metal.

The flat side of the housing which faces the hood is provided with apreferably eccentric annular blind bore 3, into which a helical spring 4is inserted, which at the bottom of said blind bore engages, for exampleby a radially projecting end (not shown), with a corresponding extensionof the annular bore and thereby is secured on one side.

In the pin-like uplift or bass surrounded by the annular bore 3, acentral threaded blind bore 5 is provided into which engages a screw 18with counter-sunk head. which is surrounded adjacent its head by asleeve 20 having a corrspondingly counter-sunk end surface, whichpresses a housing end cover 6 in the direction against the housing.

The cover 6 shown in detail in FIGS. 5 7 includes in the area of screw18 a through hole, about which as centre a substantially cylindric coverportion is arranged. To said cover portion adjoins with maintainedthickness a radial extension (see FIGS. 5 and 7). The cover may be madeof an anodized metal, like the housmg.

In the cover surface facing the housing a shallow depression I6 isrecessed concentrically about said through hole, and a disk 8 of amaterial with suitable friction properties is placed in said depression.It will be explained in greater detail in the following of which kindthese properties are. The friction disk 8 is of a thickness exceedingthe height of the depression 16 so as to leave sufficient space betweencover and housing to prevent direct friction between said parts,specially in the area of said extension.

About said through hole, furthermore, there is provided partiallyconcentric a recess 7 for the other end of the spring 4. This recess 7extends radially with diminishing width to the vicinity of the free endof the extension and leads into a transverse groove which is blind atboth ends, so that substantially a T shape is formed. The spring endengaging with said recess 7 and said groove at first leaves the springhelix tangentially and finally is deflected at an angle of about By thisdeflection it projects into the right-hand or lefthand end of thegroove, in dependency of the hood side, and thereby secures also theother spring end.

In the cover surface remote from the housing (FIG. 7) a shallowdepression 15 is provided which extends at least from the area of thethrough hole to across .the whole cover extension and is intended toreceive a follower arm of spring steel which is provided in one end areawith a corresponding through hole. The other end of the arm at firstprojects laterally and is thereafter de flected at a right angle to anengagement surface 11, which in locking position projects, preferablyspaced, past the adjacent edge of the swinging part. In the area of saidprojection an aperture 12 is provided for a locking projection 13 on thehood side to pass therethrough, which projection is deflected at the endat a right angle and embraces in locking position the follower arm. Thefollower arm is held in the depression 15 by the sleeve 20.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the lower rearward corner area 9 of thehood, or a corresponding extension of the hood, rests on the sleeve 20.The two areas and, respectively, extensions at the opposite ends of thehood preferably are so flexible that they can somewhat be compressed andthereby adapted to permit the corresponding holes in the end hood areasto be slipped over the screws and sleeves already mounted and toelastically assume the position shown in FIG. 1. With the hood soinserted and the spring unloaded, the unloaded follower arms extendrearwardly downwards while the hood assumes its inward swung positionwith the inner edges inclined rearwardly upwards. Thereby the areas llof the follower arms can be caught easily and the arms, slightly pressedoutwards, can be swung upwards to cover the projections 13. Thereafterthe free ends of the arms are pressed against the hood and over theprojections l3 and assume automatically the locking posi tion shown inFIGS. 1 and 2.

For removing the hood, the follower arms can be swung against the springaction and the hood until they can be pressed outwards with the aperture12 over the projections 13, whereafter they again assume their un loadedfree position. The said hood areas or the like need be pressed onlyslightly in the direction toward each other for removing them from thescrews with sleeves. The spring 4 is of such strength and the frictionproperties of the disk 8 are so chosen in view of the adjustabletightening effect of the screw 18, that only a minimum average force isrequired to move the hood into the two end positions, and that the hoodby its own maintains its end positions and possibly also intermediatepositions.

The embodiments described above and shown in the drawing are to beregarded only as non-restrictive examples, which can be modified atoption, within the scope of the inventive idea and, of the followingclaims. Also many different other application fields can, of course, beimagined, and also objects other than hoods can be equipped with the newdevice within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Pivoting apparatus for pivotably mounting a first member with respectto a second member, comprising:

housing means securable to said second member and supporting said firstmember for pivoting about an axis; locking means detachably securable tosaid first member at a position spaced from said axis;

follower means supporting said locking means on said housing means forpivoting about said axis;

spring means acting between said housing means and said locking means,and about said axis, for urging a portion said locking means againstsaid first memher, when said first member is pivoted, in a mannertending to rotate said first member relative to said second member; and

means for holding said first member in either of at least two differentangular positions about said axis, despite the urging of said springmeans.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the weight of said first member isunbalanced about said axis and said spring acts in the direction tocounterbalance said unbalanced weight.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising cylindrical stub support meansmounted on said housing means and providing a pivoting surface for saidfirst member, the free end of which stub is adapted to be removablyinserted into said first member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said follower means comprises aleaf-spring deflectable along said axis to facilitate detachablesecuring of said locking means to said first member.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said holding means comprisesfriction means acting between said housing and said follower means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said spring means comprises ahelical spring one end of which is held against rotation by said housingand the other end of which is held against rotation by said followermeans.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said housing means comprises ablind annular bore concentric with said axis and facing said followermeans, said bore defining a cylindrical boss, said boss containing athreaded bore concentric with said axis, said spring means comprising ahelical spring surrounding said boss, the interior end of said springbeing restrained against rotational motion by said support means.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising a housing end cover adapted torotate about said axis, said end cover having a spring-restrainingrecess in one face thereof for rotating the other end of said springabout said axis when said end cover is so rotated and having anotherrecess in the opposite face thereof for holding said follower means torotate it with rotation of said end cover.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, in which said holding means comprises afriction member positioned between adjacent surfaces of said housing andsaid end cover, and screw means extending through said end covers intosaid threaded bore in said boss, whereby tightening of said screw meansprovides frictional restraint between said end cover and said housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, comprising sleeve means for rotatablysupporting said first member on the exterior thereof, said screw alsoextending through said sleeve means.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said locking means comprises anaperture in said follower arm means engagable by a projection on saidfirst member. i: a

1. Pivoting apparatus for pivotably mounting a first member with respectto a second member, comprising: housing means securable to said secondmember and supporting said first member for pivoting about an axis;locking means detachably securable to said first member at a positionspaced from said axis; follower means supporting said locking means onsaid housing means for pivoting about said axis; spring means actingbetween said housing means and said locking means, and about said axis,for urging a portion said locking means against said first member, whensaid first member is pivoted, in a manner tending to rotate said firstmember relative to said second member; and means for holding said firstmember in either of at least two different angular positions about saidaxis, despite the urging of said spring means.
 2. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the weight of said first member is unbalanced about said axisand said spring acts in the direction to counterbalance said unbalancedweight.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising cylindrical stub supportmeans mounted on said housing means and providing a pivoting surface forsaid first member, the free end of which stub is adapted to be removablyinserted into said first member.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, in whichsaid follower means comprises a leaf-spring deflectable along said axisto facilitate detachable securing of said locking means to said firstmember.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said holding meanscomprises friction means acting between said housing and said followermeans.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said spring means comprisesa helical spring one end of which is held against rotation by saidhousing and the other end of which is held against rotation by saidfollower means.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said housing meanscomprises a blind annular bore concentric with said axis and facing saidfollower means, said bore defining a cylindrical boss, Said bosscontaining a threaded bore concentric with said axis, said spring meanscomprising a helical spring surrounding said boss, the interior end ofsaid spring being restrained against rotational motion by said supportmeans.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising a housing end coveradapted to rotate about said axis, said end cover having aspring-restraining recess in one face thereof for rotating the other endof said spring about said axis when said end cover is so rotated andhaving another recess in the opposite face thereof for holding saidfollower means to rotate it with rotation of said end cover.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 8, in which said holding means comprises a frictionmember positioned between adjacent surfaces of said housing and said endcover, and screw means extending through said end covers into saidthreaded bore in said boss, whereby tightening of said screw meansprovides frictional restraint between said end cover and said housing.10. The apparatus of claim 9, comprising sleeve means for rotatablysupporting said first member on the exterior thereof, said screw alsoextending through said sleeve means.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, inwhich said locking means comprises an aperture in said follower armmeans engagable by a projection on said first member.